Amonkhet in Constructed

Artwork by: Victor Adame Minguez

With the prerelease of Amonkhet happening this weeknd, we decided to preview some of the cards that we think have a chance at being played in constructed. Since there are quite a few cards to talk about, let’s dive right in!

THE MYTHICS:

Gideon of the Trials – This card is clearly less powerful than his current iteration, however, his third ability allows him to be played as the main win condition of a control deck by protecting him and using him to swing. He also fits into an aggressive, creature style deck with his low mana cost and above the curve body.Liliana, Death’s Majesty – In our opinion, this might be the best mythic in the set. She fits in an already existing deck (B/G Delirium) and makes it better by dumping cards into the graveyard, while protecting herself with zombies, recurring creatures, and oh yes, a one sided board wipe? Don’t mind if I do.Nissa, Steward of Elements – It seems like they hit a home run with the first ever X costing planeswalker. One of the more versatile planeswalkers we’ve ever seen. She can be played at any stage of the game and be impactful. In the early game she can come out as fast as turn 2 and ends up having 3 loyalty when you scry 2. Mid-game she can create pressure by playing cards from the top of your deck for free or hell, just keep scrying 2. In the late game she can be played with ultimate loyalty counters and end the game with a bunch of hasty tree-birds.Rhonas the Indomitable – Easily the best god printed in this set. It has a low cost, the ability to easily bypass his restrictions and makes all of your other creatures into beat sticks.Bontu the Glorified – The only other god we think has constructed value. Bontu fits the same mold that Rhonas does with the ease of bypassing his restrictions and all that, but the kicker is – he gives you a sac engine, and that could mean happy-fun times if a deck emerges that benefits from it.Vizier of the Menagerie – Creates situational card advantage by allowing you to play the top card of your library if it’s a creature and gives you information without having to reveal it. The ability to create any color mana seems like it’s intended for a different format, like Commander, but still has fringe use in competitive formats.

THE RARES:

Aven Mindcensor – A reprint from Future Sight, it has sideboard playability.Glory-Bound Initiate – Can pilot Heart of Kiran or be a big lifelinking wrecking ball.Curator of Mysteries – A good example of an efficient creature that has extra value when playing other cycle cards with the option to cycle himself. Stop cycling yourself!Pull from Tomorrow – Not exactly Sphinx’s Revelation, but still offers up a good way to refill your hand mid-game.Dread Wanderer – An early aggressive card that can keep coming back as you dump your hand and could give extra reach to a mardu or rakdos style aggro deck.Never // Return – Never is a good card. Return is a card that is attached to Never.Glorybringer – Five drop, 4/4, haste-dragons have always been good in the past, but this one also lets you exert and blow up a thing.Soul-Scar Mage – Could be extremely impactful to burn strategies in modern.Harsh Mentor – Another card that has value in modern, especially against affinity.Insult // Injury – Unpreventable 4 damage to a creature and a player, while also doubling the damage of any other sources you have for the turn.Channeler Initiate – Mana dork that becomes a beater over time.Prowling Serpopard – Slightly above curve creature with advantages against the control match-up. Also, a cat-snake.Honored Hydra – A slightly cheaper Roar of the Wurm with the much needed addition of trample.Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons – What’s not to love about a bear that kills stuff and shits out sneks?Prepare // Fight – B-B-B-Blowout.Failure // Comply – Remember Reflector Mage? Pepperidge Farm remembers.Cut // Ribbons – Gives you early game creature removal with a built in late game win con.Heaven // Earth – Good for a G/R mid-range style deck by allowing you to clean up the skies or murder all them pesky sneks.Irrigated Farmland – Allows for land fixing or cycling when you’re flooded. The same goes for these guys:Fetid PoolsCanyon SloughSheltered ThicketScattered Groves

THE UNCOMMONS:

Cast Out – An Oblivion Ring with flash that also gives you the option to cycle it. We expect this to be the most powerful uncommon in the set.By Force – Not only is it a great way to deal with the Mardu Vehicles in standard, but has the potential to be extremely potent in all formats.Exemplar of Strength – Can come down as just a 4/4 man-house or a 2/2 after the first swing that gains you a life and continues to get swole.Crocodile of the Crossing and Defiant Greatmaw – We believe there’s a strong chance that a mono green aggro deck could appear given cards like these that allow for quick, above the curve strikes if your deck is built with the restrictions in mind.Manglehorn – This is another great way to deal with Mardu Vehicles, while also building a board state that slows them down.Bone Picker – Trololol lololol lololol la la la la ha ha ha ha la la la la. Definitely a powerhouse limited card that can easily find its way into an aggressive Rakdos deck that doesn’t mind throwing it’s creatures at the opponent or one that uses Bontu to gain added benefits from his sac engine.Lay Bare the Heart – Achieves something similar to Transgress the Mind with less restrictions (yay), but it doesn’t exile the card (dang, y’all).Consuming Fervor – Gives aggressive decks a w ay to end the game quick, fast and in a hurry. The downside, you ask? It doesn’t even matter because your creature should be dead long before it gets negatively impacted!Enigma Drake – Great addition to the U/R Dynavolt deck.Wayward Servant – In multiples this card could end a game quickly, especially with the addition of the embalm mechanic.Weaver of Currents – With the lack of ramp in standard this could open the door for that strategy.Shadowstorm Vizier – If U/B Cycle becomes a deck, this becomes a card.Rhonas’s Monument – The only monument that has the potential to make any kind of impact, because green plays…you know…creatures (sneks, serpopards, etc.).

THE COMMONS:

Essence Scatter – A reprint. Welcome back!Cartouche of Zeal – The only Cartouche to touche in standard. Unless…you don’t like swinging through blockers while adding a small stat boost of course.Fling – Another reprint but this one lets us caber toss Metalwork Colossus at opponents’ domes. One swing… one fling.Magma Spray – Good against delirium…otherwise play Shock(s) dum-dum.Hapatra’s Mark and Shed Weakness– If the mono green deck we mentioned earlier is creeps its way into standard, these will be a staple. You’ll need to dump those negative counters somehow…

We hope you enjoyed this article and if you have anything you would like to talk about be sure to leave a comment below and follow us on all the socials for updates and quality memes.